Are They Living?

A lesson plan for first graders

Ag in the Classroom

Strawberries: Are They Living? // 2

Purpose To learn that strawberries are a fruit that is grown in North Carolina and to learn the different parts of a strawberry.

Subject Areas Addressed Social Studies, Science, English/Language Arts

Common Core/Essential StandardsSOCIAL STUDIES:

1.G.2.2: Explain how people use natural resources in the community. (Ex. Food comes from farms)

SCIENCE:

1.L.2.1: Students know plants are living things that need energy and grow. Students know plants need to take in water, nutrients and light (to make their own food) for energy and growth.

WRITING:

CCSS Grade 1.3: Describe the characters, setting, and major events in a story, using key details.

Vocabulary blossom cap runners seeds stem

Materials Provided“Strawberries Are a Fruit,” Strawberry Writing Paper

Materials Needed BOOK: Living Things, Concept Science Written by Judith Holloway and Clive Harper

OTHERS: Strawberry plant, large drawing of strawberry with labeled parts

Lesson PlanOverview

Strawberries: Are They Living? // 3

Instructions 1. READ AND DISCUSS LIVING THINGS

• Display a strawberry plant and ask students how they can determine if it is a living or non-living thing. Can foods be living things? Why/why not?

• Once students establish that strawberries are a living things (strawberry plants are living) and need food, water, air, sunlight and space to grow, hold up the strawberry plant and discuss the parts of the plant.

• Show them the roots. Why don’t you see the roots on the strawberries when we eat them? Ask students if they have ever eaten a seed from a fruit before.

2. CONDUCT A BRAINSTORM SESSION

• On the board, make a list of other fruits that are red.

• Compare/contrast the parts of those plants. (Ex. Apples grow on trees, seeds are inside the fruit).

• Display (or draw on board) large strawberry plant and label the parts of the strawberry together.

• Then sing “Strawberries Are a Fruit” song together, located on the next page. The song is sung to the tune “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”.

3. STRAWBERRY REFLECTIONS

• Have students use the strawberry writing paper to summarize what they learned about strawberries.

Teaching Strategy

Strawberries: Are They Living? // 4

Strawberry SongStrawberries Are a Fruit

The roots on a strawberry grow underground,

Underground, underground.

The roots on a strawberry grow underground.

Roots are part of a strawberry plant.

The stems on a strawberry connect to the plant,

Connect to the plant, connect to the plant.

The stems on a strawberry connect to the plant.

Stems are part of a strawberry plant.

The blossoms on a plant are turning into fruit,

Turning into fruit, turning into fruit.

The blossoms on a plant are turning into fruit.

Blossoms are turning into fruit.

Now it’s time to eat the fruit, eat the fruit, eat the fruit.

Now it time to eat the fruit, how would you like it?

Strawberries: Are They Living? // 5

StrawberryWriting Paper